Flax pulling and harvesting machine.



Pam-.ed July 1915;

.7 sains- SHEET l. g?

Qwwm

' N. E. FUNK @ai l.. P.- WHITAKE.

APPLICATION FILED Avn. a. 1914.

FLAX PULUNG AND HARVESTING MACHINE.

N'.. E.FUNK & L. P. WHITAKER. FLAx PULLING AND HARVESTING MACHINE.

Patented July 6, 1915.

tom/uz A 311,06 en APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1914.

N. E. FUNK & L. P.\WHITAKER.

FLAx PULLING AND HARvEsTlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.3.1914.

vvv@ @oas mm3 7 SHEETS--SHEET 3.

Patented July 6, 1915.

{Cto/Man N.'E. FUNK & L. P. WHITAKER.

FLAx PULLING AND HARVESTING MACHINE.

Patented July 6, 1915.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3,1914.

T SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N. E. FUNK &`L. P. WHITAKER.

FLAX PULLING AND HARVESTINGMACHINE.

` APPLICATION FILED IAPR. 3, |914. 1,145,010 Patented July 6, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

@Mw/QM Umm @vf N. E. FUNK & l.. P. WHITAKEF?. FLAXPULLING AND HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3. 1914. L O Patented July 6, 1915.

l SHEETS-SHEET 6- UNITED eures- PATENT onirica.

NELSON E. FUNK, F MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, AND LOUIS P. WI-IITAKER, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.; SAID FUNK ASSIGNOR TO VICTOR E. FREEMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FLAX PULLING- AND HARVESTING MACHINE.

-Speeication pf Letters Patent. i Patented July 6, 1915.

Application led April 3, 1914. I Serial No. 829,213.

AMontclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, and LOUIS P. WHITAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of .New York,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Flax Pulling and Harvesting Machines; and we do hereby declarethe following to be 'a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled 4in the art to which it appertains to' make and use the same.

Our inve'ntion consists in the novel features hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which we have shown one embodiment of our invention, selected by us for purposes of illustration, and the said invention is fully dis- V'closed in the following description` and ing units vand the seed removing mechanism before mentioned. Fig. 3 is a partial plan view of the machine. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan View of a portion of one of the pulling units showing the pulling chains in their the links of the opposing chains. is a plan view of a small apparatus for pull- 13 is a front View of the same.

open positions at the forward ends thereof.'

Fig. 5 is a. similar detailed view showing the chains in closed position at their front ends. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a front view of one of the links for one of said chains. Fig. 8 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 9 is a front view of one of Fig. 10

ing flax only and containing a single pulling unit. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the small apparatus shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a rear view of adjacent connected clamping plates, parts being shown in section. Fig. Fig; 14 is a front elevation of the mechanism for combther treatment to obtain the liber therefrom. Fig. 15 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 16 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the combing cylinders.

Growing flax is ordinarily harvested in one of two ways according to the use to which the product is to be put. Ifvit is harvested for the purpose of obtaining the seed for the production of linseed oil, it is ordinarily cut and thereafter threshed for the removal of the seed in a manner not unlike the handling of other grain. lVhen,

however, the flax is des' ed in order that its fiber may be extracted or the manufacture of linen, it isfound that satisfactory commercial results arenot obtained if the flax is cut off, and. that such satisfactory results can only be obtained when the plants are pulled root and all from the ground. This is a recognized fact in handling nax, and it is also observed that the removal of the roots froln the ground enables the farmer to obtain better results from successive crops. The pulling of flax is ordinarily accomplished by hand and. is very expensive on account of the labor involved. It will be apparent that, in case iax is harvested for the purposeI of producing linseed oil, the straw is a loss and yields no return to the farmer, and, on the other hand, where the iax is pulled for the purpose of utilizing the fiber, it is practically impossible to obtain the seed commercially, as the vplants are pulled in a more or less immature state and the seed is lost.

The object of the present invention is to provide mechanical means for enabling the iax to be pulled from the ground with the roots without the use of hand labor, and our invention also contemplates the embodiment of the flax pulling apparatus hereinafter described in a machine equipped with the usual self-binding mechanism in use in connection with other grains, and provided further with mechanism by means of which the stalks after being pulled are relieved of their seed pods, the'seed and pods and any adhering particles of the stalk branches being separately preserved so that they may be dried and threshed or winnowed, orotherwise treated for the separation of the seed which may, therefore, be utilized in the production of linseed oil and other linseed products. It is found that the base of the seed 4cup or pod, which comprises a tiny button,

adheres very strongly to the end of the branch ofthe plant on which it grows and is apparently intimately Connected with the ends of the fibers terminating atl such button, and the presence of these cups or buttons persists in the after treatment of the liber so that it is very advantageous to eliminate them as far as possible in separating the seed pods from the plants and the yspecial mechanism hereinafter. described is especially designed to separate substantially all of the buttons,`or seed podbases, as well as the pods and seeds from the plants, so that the stalks with roots attached may be bound up in bundles or otherwise delivered from l of the grain against longitudinal movement,

which comprises opposing parts provided with separate ribs, or flanges, extending substantially -transversely ofthe -grain or flax, the ribs 'of one of said .opposing parts alternating with those ofthe other andbeng constructed` and arranged in connection therewith' so that when the grain is gripped between the' opposing parts itis deflected back and forth in av` serpentine manner between the alternating ribs. By this means the flax or other. similar material can be gripped so as to prevent its being pulled out longitudinally without the'necessity for any particular pressure being exerted on'the plant by the valternating ribs,- and it is also found that the device indicated will hold the' plants firmly whether there is a single stalk or a large number 'of stalks so bent and deflected by the opposing and alternating ribs. The relation between the projections on the opposing plates we designate as intermeshing asit is somewhat similar -to the relation la tooth ofa gear wheel bears to the teeth of an engaged rack or gearwheel between which it.enters, andthis relation is not to be confused with the ordinary clamping of stalks between' fiat surfaces either smooth or roughened as the operation of such devices is quite different, there being no clamping inthe ordinary sense, but a holding ofthe stalks against longitudinal movement by the bends-imparted to them by the intermeshin projections. In embodying this basic ldearin anI apparatus for continuously pulling flax we provide a plurality of plates pjyotally connected so asy to form an endles'sarrangement of such plates,

said plates being provided with the ribs before referred to and being caused Yto travel around suitable rollers, the ribs acting in conjunction with opposing ribs alternating therewithl on another series of plates similarly 'arranged and driven, the stalks being gripped between said plates and carried thereby from one end of the unit to the other and the said pair of endless chains of plates so formed are 'given a suitable inclination from the horizontal from front to rear so that the stalks are gradually elevated as theyl are carried to the rear, and in practice the opposing chains are operated toward the rear at substantially the same speed as the machine moves forwardly, the effect of which is to simply pull the stalks out of the ground as the machineprogresses.` Various forms of chain plates'or links may be used but we have found -one desirable and satisfactory construction to be that shown Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, in Which the plates of Yone chain are provided' with three ribs'while the plates of the opposing chain are' prdvided with two .ribs arranged to alternate with the three ribs of the opposing plate. To facilitate the supporting and driving of the chainsof plates, we prefer to either connect the plates to the links of a suitable driving chain, or to cast 'the plates'and links integrally as shown in the drawings referred to. Fig. 7, for example, shows the front face of a chain plate 1 provided with three ribs 2 and,'in'order to insure the continuity of the ribs throughout the chain of plates.`

we find it convenient to make these ribshalf v the width desired vfor the opera-tive ribs and to form the ribs on each of said plates in two 'sectionsas shown at 2 and-.2a-out of alinement with each other, the said rib portions, 2 and 2a, projecting from the transverse edges of the plates in such a manner that when the` plates are longitudinally alined the portions .2a of one plate will occupy positions along side ofthe parts 2 of the adjacent plate and vice versa, as shown, for example, in Fig. 13, the effect of which lso is to produce ribs extending longitudinally l of the chain of plates when the plates are in a straight line. It will also be understood that the opposingplates la, or those of the adjacent chain are provided with 4similar rib portions 2 and 2Il in a similar manner, the only difference being that they are so located that the ribs of one plate alternate with those of the opposing plate at all times when they are in opposition. In this instance we have shown the back of each of said plates provided with link portions 3 having portions 3a at one ,end in closer proximity to each other and adapted to receive between them a friction roller-l, said link portions 3 and 3a being provided with suitable apertures to receive the pivotal connections connecting said link portions with prises two chains, the one formed of links 1 and the other formed of links 1a,`said chains being mounted at each end of the unit on a sprocket wheel 7, see Figs. 1() and 11, and 4 and 5. The adjacent laps of the two plate chains are held in proper interlocking engagement by suitable guides 8, 8, extending longitudinally of the unit and in order to allow for the slight-separation of the op- ,posed plates in case an obstacle or a bunch of material should get between them, and to hold them yieldingly in proper relation with each other, one or both of the guides 8 is provided with a spring. In Figs. 4 and 5 for example, we have shown one of said guides laterally movable and provided with a leaf spring 9, the other being rigidly supported in any suitable manner. It is also preferred that the sprocket wheel 7 on the side adjacent to the yielding guide 8 should also be mounted in movable bearings against suitable retracting springs in order that it may yield laterally slightly if occasion may require. rThus in Fig.- 10 wehave indicated in dotted lines one of the bearings for the movable sprocket wheel, arranged to slide laterally and provided with a retracting spring 10. It is desirable to have the links as long as possible longitudinally of the chain and at the same time to have the sprocket wheels as small as possible, and we prefer to' provide the sprocket wheels as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 with five teeth each, and ofvery small diameter. With this type of sprocket it will be -seen that as the rolls of the chains pass around the front of the sprockets they will present the links'successively in a position inclined to the opposinglinks of the other chain as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Thus the space between the ribs is much greater at the point indicated by in Fig. 4 when a tooth of each of the sprocket 7` is opposite a tooth of the other sprocket, than it is between the inner ends of the same plate. This affords a very considerable opening which facilitates the entrance of the standing grain between the opposing plates and upon a further revolution of the sprocket 7 half of the distance between two teeth, as indicated in Fig. 5, the opposing platesare pressed closely together and their' friction rolls immediately pass or to the guides 8 so that such plates are never permitted to separate again until they have reached the rear or upper end of the unit, and during all this time the flax or other material is firmly .clamped vbetween `the op:- posing plates and forced,intoitheserpentine relation, previously described, y by ,the o/pf posed alternating ribs ,ofy -the 'chain plantes. The apparatus shown'linFigs. 104 and 11 comprises what might bei. termed the y simplest form, or embodiment,.of our invention and consists of a main lsupporting frame 11 mounted on suitable wheels 12 and 1.3, the said frame being provided `with* means for supporting the front sprockets 7v which are idle, and also being provided with driving shafts 14 carrying the rear sprockets indicated at 7a which impart motion to the chains of plates. The frontwheels 12,'inthislinstance, are the traction lwheels and are connected by means of sprocket gearing with a transverse shaft 15 carryinga beveled driving wheel 16 meshing with a beveled pinion 17 on one of the driving shafts 14, the two A driving shafts being connected for rotation by intermeshing gears 18.v The pulling chains arethus mainta'ned in an inclined position as shown and t e front end yof the mechanism is provided with suitable guards 19 for deflecting the stalksinward to the grip or bite of the opposed plates. W'e may provide an over-head reel indicatedat-20 supported on a suitable shaft 21 and operated by sprocket or other gearing from the driving mechanismof the machine as indicated in Figs. 10 and 11 toy assist inpresenting the flax to thevpulling mechanism. lVe also prefer to provide mechanism for knocking 0H" dirt adhering to the roots, and, l100 in this instance we have shown abeater 22 supported below the forward portion of the pulling` chains-'and connected by sprocketl or other gearing with the driving mechanism of the machine for striking the roots as they depend from the chain platesand removing the dirt therefrom.

a From a consideration of Figs.- 10 and 11 1t will be seen that as the machine is propelled forward the traction wheels4v will drive the chains so thatthe o posed portions' thereof will move rearwar and, preferably, at the same speed vas the forward progress ofthe machine. The stalks will be gripped between the opposing `plates in the manner hereinbefore described and the effect upon them of ythe upward travel of the chains is to pull the stalks verticallyY out `of the ground` while the beaterj22 knocks.

i 4E i' n 1,145,010

' the number is not material. -Itwill be obvious that the flax may bev pulled by the machine showny in'Figs.` 1;'0 and 11 and discharged rearwardly on the ground and afterward removed in any-desired manner for treatment, and it will also be apparent instead ofdragging the machine over the ground -it may be propelled by a tractor or alsuitable engine mountedon the frame of the machine and operatively connected with the pulling mechanism, or with the traction wheels or both.

In the embodiment of our invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 wehave shown a machine whichV is provided withy a plurality of pulling units, the opposing chains of which are-indicated'at 100 and 101 respectively, supportedin front of a horizontally disposed receiving grain platform over which passes a horizontal apron 31. In this instance the shafts 114 which vcarry the upper sprocket wheels for the pulling units l are provided with sprocket wheels 1-15 connected by sprocket chains 116 with sprockets 117 on inclined shafts -118 provided with sprocket wheels 119 at their lower ends and said sprocket wheels 119 are driven by a continuouschain passing around the successive wheels 119 in opposite' directions as shown inv Fig. 2, thus imparting motion from a driving sprocket 120 which is geared with the driving shaft 121 of the machine.

The frame work of the machine is support-- ed upon a suitable bull wheel A122 which may be operatively connected with the driving shaft 121 by means of beveled gearing as indicated in Fig. 2, or the 'driving shaft 121 may be driven by a motorl supported on a machine or by a connection with the motor of a tractor employed to draw themachine over the ground as may be found most desirable. In Fig. 2 the plate chains of one unit have been removed in order to showY the gearing therefor. n

The framework of the machine is provided with an upwardly extending portion 32 and an outwardly eiitending portion 32a passing over the bull wheel in Vthe usual manner and upon the portion 32a' of the framework is supported the bindingand tying mechanism which is of the same character-'as that .in general use on the selfbinding harvsters and is,`therefore, not herein lspecifically shown or described. It

will be understood that the flax as it is binding mechanism. If the'seed pods are not to be removed such mechanism would consists simply of the ordinary elevating aprons such as are .used in self-binding harvesters, but we prefer to remove the seed before the flax is bound and to this end we prefer to provide the inclined portion 32 of the machine with upper and lower gripping chains 33 and 34 which are constructed identically like the pulling' chains 100 and 101 hereinbefore described, but, in this instance, the chains are arranged one above the other so as to grip the ends of the stalks nearest'the roots and While carrying them up to a point from which they may be delivered to the binding mechanism to prevent'them from being pulled out longitudinally by the action of the seed removing mechanism. This seedremoving mechanism may be of any desired character and preferably comprises an upper roll 50 and a lower roll 51 disposed in anl inclined position with respect to the line of travel -of the flax, so that the tips of the stalks will first Ve prefer, however, to use the form of cylinder shownin Figs. llll to 16 inclusive, in which each of said cylinders comprises a series of notched bars 6() rigidly mounted therein and having the projecting portions constructedwith their forward-faces` 61 inclined forwardly and outwardly as shown. the outer edges of said projecting portions being provided with V shaped notches whichreceive the slender tips or branches of the plant and not only remove the seed pods but tear away the buttons or cups at the ends of the branches and at the same time comb the stalks and branches so as to bring them in 'parallel relation. The forwardly inclinedvfaces 61 of the bars 60 tend to prevent the flax from flying off and the knife bars of one cylinder are staggered with respect to those of the other cylinder, and the outer edges of the knife bars are fiat between adjacent notchesso that the progress ofthe flax from one end of the cleaning mechanism-to the other is not impeded. In the rear of each of the knife bars 60 is provided a cleaning'bar 62 which carries at each end a roller 63 engaging cam grooves in stationary parts at each end of the housings for the rollers and this cam and roller construction causes the cleaner bars to be projected and withdrawn 'during the revolution of the rollers, the projection of the bars occurring when they are most remote from the bars of the opposing roller and serving to remove any stalks or branches that may have a tendency to remain in the f erably where it is bound into bundles and discharged from the machine, or it may be delivered directly to the ground without the interposition of the binding mechanism, if desired. The seeds, together with any adhering particles of the plaiit are received in a trough and the inclined portion 32 of the machine frame is provided with an inclined plate 32b which conducts the seed,

etc., falling thereon to the trough 70. The trough 70 is conveniently provided with a worm 71 for conducting the material to the rear end thereof where it enters an elevator 72 which conducts it upwardly to a discharge hood 73 from which it is discharged into a box, or other receptacle or receptacles. The seed may be dried out and threshed or winnowed to remove the linseed for any purpose for which it may be desired, while the stalks are in suitable condition for treatment for the obtaining of fiber' for linen.

In connection with the pulling mechanism we have shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 a reel 80 for assisting the grain to enter between the opposing plates of the several pulling units and a supplementary reel S1 for facilitating the discharge vof the stalks on to the horizontal carrier 31, and we have also shown the beater'S2 located below the forward portions of the various pulling units for knocking the dirt off the roots of the'plant, the parts being connected by sprocket gearing or other suitable gearing with the driving mechanism of the machine. IVe have also' indicated mechanism for driving the cleaning rolls 50 and 51 from the bull wheel, as shown in Fig. 1 and the parts may be so driven, or may be driven in any 'other desired manner.

The pulling mechanism herein shown and' described 'is not specifically claimed herein, as the same forms the subject matter of a separate application, a division of thepresent application, filed by us October 21, 1914,

i Serial No. 867,723.

lvliat we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a flax harvesting machine, the combination with a portable supporting frame, of a plurality of pulling units arranged side b v side, each of said pulling units comprising a pair of endless carriers having parallel vertically disposed opposed portions inclined upwardly from front toi'ear thereof, each of said carriers being provided With projecting ribs extending transversely of the growing stalks' and alternating with and intermesliing with the projecting ribs of the opposing carrier, mechanism for combing the stalksto remove the seed pods therefrom and prepare them for treatment to obtain the ber therefrom, and mechanism for taking the pulled stalks from the pulling uiits and passing them through the seed removing mechanism while maintaining the stalks in parallel relation.

t 2. In a flax harvesting machine, the coinb'inationwith a portable supporting frame,

' of a plurality of pulling units arranged side from, a binding mechanism, and mechanism.

for taking the pulled stalks from the several pulling units and passing them through the seed removing mechanism, and delivering them to the binding mechanism While maintaining them in substantially parallel relation.

' 3. In a flax harvesting machine, the combination with means for separating the stalks from the ground, mechanism for lcombing the stalks to remove the seed pods and prepare thestalks for treatment to obtain the ber therefrom, and conveying mechanism constructed to receive the stalks and pass .themV through said seed removing mechanism, while maintaining them in substantially parallel relation.

'4. In a flax harvesting machine, the combination with means for separating the 'stalks froml the ground, mechanism vfor combing the stalks to remove the seed pods and prepare the stalks. for treatment to obtaintlie fiber therefrom, conveying mechanism constructed to receive the stalks and pass them through said seed removing mechanism, while maintaining the stalks in substantially parallel relation, and binding mechanism for binding the cleaned stalks.

5. In a flax harvesting machine,l the combination with means for separating the stalks from the ground, mechanism for combing the stalks to remove the seed pods and prepare the stalks for treatment to obtain the fiber therefrom, conveying mechanism constructed to receive. the stalks in substantially parallel relation, and pass them through said seed removing mechator binding the cleaned stalks, and independent mechanism for collecting and separately delivering the seed.

6. In a flax harvesting machine, the combination with a portable supporting frame,

of pulling mechanism for separating the structed'to comb the stalks in a direction from the root end, toward the heads, while the root ends are held in the said conveying mechanism, to remove the seed, seed pods, and cups, and prepare the stalks for further treatment for the production of ber therefrom. y

7. In a flax harvesting machine, the combination with a portable supporting frame, of pulling mechanism for separating the growingv flax from the ground, conveying mechanism for receiving the iaX stalks in parallel relation, and comprising opposed endless conveyers each provided with longitudinally disposed ribs adapted to mesh with the ribs of the other conveyer, for engaging 'the stalks near the root ends and hold them in substantially parallel relation, While moving them sidevvise, and combing devices constructed to comb the stalks in a direction from the root ends toward the heads, while the root ends are held in the said conveying mechanism, to remove the seed, seed pods, and cups, and prepare the stalks for further treatment for the production of fiber therefrom, and binding mechanism located adjacent to the delivery end of said conveying mechanism cleaned stalks.

In testimony whereof, we aflix our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses.

IVitnesses:

E. W. WYA'rr, BERTHA B. APPEL.

for binding the 

